Richard Orr

Richard Evan Orr 1950-2012

Richard Evan Orr passed away on December 27, 2012 with unbelievable grace and faith after years of battling pancreatic cancer and its residual effects. He passed peacefully into the arms of his savior, Jesus Christ, with his wife and children by his side. Born August 14, 1950 to Meribeth Spears Richardson and Richard Grady Orr, Jr. in Tacoma, WA, he leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of love and Christian heritage.

Richard is survived by his wife of 41 years, Cornelia Smith Orr; their two children and their spouses, Ric (Holly) Orr and Rebekah (Douglas) Hodges; and their three grandchildren, Avery, Owen, and Ethan Hodges. Richard is also survived by his mother, Meribeth Spears Richardson; his three sisters Nancy Orr, Susan Orr Lawrence and Terri Orr (Ronnie) Flint; his mother-in-law Virginia Gillis Smith; and brothers- and sisters-in-law Ronald (Pauline) Smith, Stephen Smith, and Rena (Bill) Meade; step brothers Lewis (Ellen) and Ira Richardson; as well as many nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends. He was preceded in death by his father Richard Grady Orr, Jr., his step-father Lewis Arnold Richardson, his father-in-law Grady Smith, and his brother-in-law Perry Lawrence.

Richard was a man of strong faith. Second only to his love of God was Richard's love of his wife Cornelia and his children Ric and Rebekah. His relationship with them was a true representation of what it meant to love and be loved. He was a husband who encouraged his wife to pursue her passion and a father who was involved in every detail of his children's lives. He supported, respected and loved his family unconditionally.

Richard was well known and respected in the Tallahassee community. He was a very caring and compassionate man - someone you could count on. This translated into years of service through employment with the Tallahassee Police Department, the Florida and Southern States Police Benevolent Associations, and the Florida Bar. He also found great satisfaction in serving others as a volunteer. He enjoyed contributing his time and relational gifts in various church and community activities. He led a Bible study for inmates at Madison Correctional Institute, and, most recently since his relocation to Washington DC, he served as a Palliative Care volunteer at George Washington University Hospital. He was also an aggressive advocate on Capitol Hill for the recently passed Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act to fund pancreatic cancer research. Richard was a lover of Christ and great Bible Teacher. As a natural born leader, he taught Bible classes at First Baptist Church and Bradfordville Baptist Church in Tallahassee, FL, and was actively involved in community groups as a part of the Grace DC (PCA) church in Washington. He also had a special passion for encouraging men to lead their households and take responsibility for the spiritual vitality of their families.

Memorial services for Richard will be held in Tallahassee, FL at First Baptist Church on January 12, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. There will also be a service held in Washington, D.C. at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Richard to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network via the website www.pancan.org.